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David N. Thomas

@dnthomas01.bsky.social

5.8K followers 1.2K following 4.2K posts

Eclectic Bluesky-Rambler - It's not random...honest/ Marine-Arctic-Antarctic-Climate Biologist/ Slow but enthusiastic cyclist/ Woke academic still aspiring to be a scholar/ 🇬🇧 diaspora in 🇫🇮 Books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B001HOBI0E .. more

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Environmental science 45%

Geology 23%

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · Sep 13

Those who patiently tolerate my posts may wonder about my preoccupation with small details in nature/objects/textures Well there is the intrinsic aesthetic & beauty BUT mainly - looking at the small helps me cope with facing the - at times seemingly impossible - big issues

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 2h

Mine was a similar sad experience 🤣
Wordle 1,576 X/6

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 4h

Do not regret leaving Twitter for one minute - but this piece covers much needed debate about what the platform became when we all left

Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 1d

The platform formerly known as Twitter may be horrible, but it is still shaping policy. So were we all wrong to leave?

Was the left wrong to leave X for BlueSky?

The platform formerly known as Twitter may be horrible, but it's still shaping policy

www.newstatesman.com

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 5h

much appreciated, especially the no punctures!

David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 7h

The start of my 64th trip round the sun is also #WorldAlgaeDay

I began my marine career with studying salt tolerance in Fucus vesiculosus the bladders of which are nicely illustrated in this image by David Roberts (@sosbangor.bsky.social)

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 7h

new publication;
Particulate accumulated matter as an indicator of coastal benthic habitat condition

open access link; link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Particulate accumulated matter as an indicator of coastal benthic habitat condition - Ambio

Eutrophication adversely affects coastal areas, but most indicators of eutrophication demonstrate temporal or large-scale changes in eutrophication. These usually cannot be used in local actions, such as restoration or conservation. Eutrophication also results in increased accumulation of particulate matter and here we assess the usefulness of particulate accumulated matter (PAM) as an indicator for marine habitat condition in the northern Baltic Sea. We use > 50 000 observations of PAM, to spatially model the accumulation of PAM at shallow benthic substrates, and subsequently demonstrate the use of PAM as an indicator for benthic habitat quality. Predictions show only 4.8% of the shallow marine area as not affected by PAM and the abundance of PAM negatively affected the occurrence of Fucus habitats. Estimates of amount of PAM can be used for determining areas that will benefit from restoration and nutrient abatement actions and for locating the most pristine areas in need of conservation action.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 7h

new publication:
A multi-layered values-based approach to advance social-ecological restoration: Insights from real-world laboratories in Germany

open access link; link.springer.com/article/10.1...

A multi-layered values-based approach to advance social-ecological restoration: Insights from real-world laboratories in Germany - Ambio

Calls for social-ecological restoration have emerged to help transcend traditional ecological boundaries by including plural values as well as transdisciplinary processes. Inspired by the IPBES values typology, we used questionnaires to assess four multi-layered perspectives characterizing local actors in two transdisciplinary grassland restoration projects in Germany: Broad values, specific values, knowledge, and visions for restoration outcomes. Varimax rotated principal component analysis yielded 16 factors across these dimensions. A subsequent hierarchical cluster analysis revealed three clusters based on these factors compatible with the Life Framework of Values: restoration for… (1) living with nature, (2) living in nature, and (3) living from nature. The three clusters demonstrate the diversity of values-based perspectives among participants of the real-world laboratories. These perspectives capture the multi-layered values underpinning engagement in restoration. Accounting for these perspectives without jeopardizing one perspective over the others provides a basis for more inclusive restoration efforts.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 7h

new publication:
Does re-wilding contribute to biodiversity conservation in Mediterranean cultural landscapes?

open access link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Does re-wilding contribute to biodiversity conservation in Mediterranean cultural landscapes? - Ambio

Debate has arisen on the use of “re-wilding” to promote biodiversity conservation. We contend that approaches aiming for strict non-intervention to restore “wilderness” may be conceptually inconsistent when applied to human-shaped landscapes. Several ecosystems of high biodiversity value, often misclassified as “pristine” have been shaped over millennia of human use, a context rarely acknowledged by re-wilding approaches. Rural abandonment in Europe is seen as an opportunity to promote biodiversity conservation through “re-wilding”, but management neglect may favor forest species at the expense of open-habitat species. In Mediterranean regions, where cultural ecosystems have high conservation value, management neglect may reduce biodiversity and increase wildfire hazard, especially under climate change. Using three Mediterranean basin case studies, we argue that wilderness-focused re-wilding, if applied uncritically, can have unintended negative consequences. While recognizing the diversity of re-wilding concepts, we highlight the need for context-specific strategies, where active management remains essential.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by Graeme S. Cumming, David N. Thomas, Juan Rocha

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 7h

new publication:
Institutional network relationships and environmental governance in the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon

open access link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Institutional network relationships and environmental governance in the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon - Ambio

The Amazon—the most biodiverse biome in the world—faces huge conservation challenges. Multiple institutional and technological actors, organized in environmental networks, collaborate to support improved environmental governance. However, these efforts are understudied and underrecognized, particularly in the case of the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon. Employing a social network analysis, this study evaluates the actors, the institutional–technological relationships, and the network addressing socio-environmental challenges. We identified 392 development actors (nodes) with different levels of international, national, and regional participation. They use transnational technologies, but have limited integration of local actors where environmental challenges are most pressing. To combat the biome's rapid degradation, these countries could strengthen their environmental agendas, governance, and policy design—for greater environmental impact—by effectively integrating cooperation between international and local partners. Both countries should develop their local networks, create participatory collaborative spaces to enhance national capacities, and promote diverse and coordinated coalitions.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Guido Grosse @grosseguido.bsky.social · 10h

The many uses of #driftwood: the first large-scale mapping of Arctic coastlines. #AWI Press release for Carl‘s paper using AI to map driftwood abundance along the North American arctic coast with Planet satellite imagery. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

Multitalent Treibholz: Erste großflächige Kartierung an arktischen Küsten - AWI

Driftwood plays a key role in Arctic coastal ecosystems: it stores carbon, stabilises coastlines and provides a habitat for animals. At the same time, it can offer clues regarding climate change in the Arctic region, providing information on the likes of storm surges, coastal erosion and shifting fluvial dynamics. Despite the crucial role it plays, there is still a lot that we do not know about the large-scale distribution patterns of driftwood. Now, for the first time, researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute have systematically mapped driftwood deposits along an 11,000 kilometre stretch of coastline in Alaska and North West Canada, using satellite imagery and AI-powered evaluation methods. The result is the largest database ever produced, with researchers able to identify over 19,000 stable driftwood deposits. The findings will soon be published in the Scientific Reports journal.

www.awi.de

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Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, David N. Thomas, John R. Hutchinson , and 1 more Dorothy Bishop, David N. Thomas, John R. Hutchinson, Steve Peers

Karen Masters @karenlmasters.bsky.social · 10h

Jess Wade is amazing, and it's my absolute honour to be one of the more than 2000 women in STEM whose wikipedia page she started: mymodernmet.com/jessica-wade... 🧪🔭👩‍🔬

Meet the Physicist Who Wrote Over 2,000 Wikipedia Biographies for Women in STEM

After noticing a lack of entries on Wikipedia for incredible women throughout history, this incredible woman decided to take matters into her own hands.

mymodernmet.com

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 1d

Just managed to get to the last day of the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market 😀……an October treat that started in 1743

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ed Hawkins @edhawkins.org · 1d

Air temperatures, soil temperatures and reanalyses all agree on how the UK’s climate has warmed & varied over the past decades.

Don’t listen to the usual critics who try to claim otherwise…

climatelabbook.substack.com/p/monitoring...

Monitoring changes in UK temperature

Multiple sources of data agree on long-term observed trends

climatelabbook.substack.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas, Charles West, Lesley A. Hall , and 1 more David N. Thomas, Charles West, Lesley A. Hall, Simon Lester

Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 1d

The platform formerly known as Twitter may be horrible, but it is still shaping policy. So were we all wrong to leave?

Was the left wrong to leave X for BlueSky?

The platform formerly known as Twitter may be horrible, but it's still shaping policy

www.newstatesman.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas, Du Toit, David Johnson

Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 1d

Record high temperatures are currently being set across the northernmost portions of the #Arctic. In fact, it is effectively ice-free on the Atlantic side of the Arctic all the way up to about 85°N latitude! This includes record low sea ice around Svalbard.

Graphic by zacklabe.com/arctic-tempe...

Line graph time series of 2025's daily 2-m temperature in the Arctic compared to each year from 1958 through 2024. There is a long-term warming trend for every day of the year. There is also large interannual variability and a clear seasonal cycle.

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 4d

Great to have been involved in this work led by @igorspp.bsky.social
New insight into the degradation of #plastics in marine systems

bioRxiv Microbiology @biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 4d

Biodegradation of different bioplastics by specialised microbial communities in a coastal brackish environment https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.07.679016v1

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

bioRxiv Microbiology @biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 4d

Biodegradation of different bioplastics by specialised microbial communities in a coastal brackish environment https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.07.679016v1

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 5d

Layers

Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 5d

new publication:
Reanimating the sacrifice zone: Mechanisms of harm and healing in Yellowknife

Open access link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Reanimating the sacrifice zone: Mechanisms of harm and healing in Yellowknife - Ambio

Communities living in areas of extraction often find ways to overcome or resist destructive legacies, but researchers lack a deep understanding of the mechanisms by which this is done. This article helps to address this gap by employing the theoretical framework of a sacrifice zone to a case study of Yellowknife, Canada and nearby mining projects. By analyzing a combination of interview and site visit data, we find that sacrificial logic diffuses across human systems, even as environmental harms are remediated, because land and people are inseparable. The three consequences of sacrifice we highlight in our case study are the failure to sign a land and governance treaty, insufficient funds for social causes, and uncertain economic futures. In response, local residents engage in land-based and collaborative activities, constructing a future pathway for community development that focuses attention on healing human-land relationships.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 5d

new publication;
Tea for two: India’s commodity agroforests as coexistence landscapes for the endangered Asiatic wild dogs and people

link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Tea for two: India’s commodity agroforests as coexistence landscapes for the endangered Asiatic wild dogs and people - Ambio

Gauging the resilience of coexistence landscapes requires a thorough understanding of the modalities, benefits and vulnerabilities of human–wildlife interactions in shared spaces. We sought to investigate how the endangered Asiatic wild dogs (‘dholes’ Cuon alpinus) share space with people in the tea-dominated agroforests of India’s Western Ghats. We assess spatial ecology (population-level space-use patterns and pack-level microhabitat associations) and diet profiles to gauge the extent to which dholes’ ecological requirements are conducive for cohabitation with people. The Western Ghats’ tea agroforests support a thriving population of dholes, subsisting on the diverse and abundant wild prey species. Despite proximity to people and high livestock densities, we found no evidence for dhole attacks on humans, and very low reliance on domestic animals as prey. These benign––positive interactions offer opportunities for preserving near-intact food-webs in commodity agriculture lands to supplement biodiversity conservation beyond designated Protected Areas, particularly across South and Southeast Asia.

link.springer.com

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 8d

Just in case you find yourself in Helsinki and wanting a treat
Following up on ⬇️ below - Here's our current top #Helsinki places for coffee & .........
(N.B. not in order)
Café Briossi
Pitkäkosken ulkoilumaja (a little out of the way)
Ekberg Café
Konditoria Hopia
Café Viola
Café Compass
Café Mutteri

David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 8d

How has it taken >5 years of living in Helsinki to only now discover Konditoria Hopia?
- a remarkable (very) small cafe experience that is among the best that #Helsinki has to offer

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 8d

How has it taken >5 years of living in Helsinki to only now discover Konditoria Hopia?
- a remarkable (very) small cafe experience that is among the best that #Helsinki has to offer

David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 10d

No, not pink lady - I hope to get a name on Saturday when hopefully I pick up some more.....stupidly I didn't pay any attention last week, but then I wasn't expecting such a surprise.

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 11d

A delight at this time of year is the huge variety of apples on sale in 🇫🇮……was not expecting an intense red flesh when cutting into this one

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 12d

new publication:
Policy and regulatory measures supporting the implementation of nature-based solutions in urban stormwater management of private properties: Insights from Finland

open access link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Policy and regulatory measures supporting the implementation of nature-based solutions in urban stormwater management of private properties: Insights from Finland - Ambio

Despite widely existing consensus that nature-based solutions (NbS) provide competitive and sustainable alternatives for grey infrastructure in urban water management, the implementation of NbS is lagging behind current needs. This study explores if and how regulatory measures can promote NbS adoption on privately owned land. Policy document analysis of Finnish stormwater programmes gathers how NbS are considered at municipal-level, key informant interviews aim to identify bottlenecks in stormwater regulations, and building permit analysis evaluates whether policy instruments have increased NbS implementation on private land. Results reveal fragmented municipal regulations due to a lack of national consensus, leading to bottlenecks for implementation such as limited knowledge, commitment, and institutional coherence. While current regulations have increased solution diversity, widespread NbS implementation requires mandating and consistent regulations aligned with sustainability goals, improved understanding of NbS functionality, examples and education, national cooperation, and recognition of NbS as viable stormwater management options.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 12d

ne publication:
Community-based approach to detect and predict conflicts with large carnivores in human-dominated landscape

Open access link:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Community-based approach to detect and predict conflicts with large carnivores in human-dominated landscape - Ambio

Understanding context-specific drivers and mechanisms of human-wildlife interactions is crucial to designing effective conservation strategies. Community-based data provides valuable insights for adaptive management efforts aimed at fostering coexistence in shared landscapes. This study analyzed 611 reports of grey wolves and brown bears recorded by rural communities in the Carpathians (Poland). Bears and wolves were recorded in 6% and 12% of all built-up areas within the study region, respectively. These species exploited anthropogenic food resources (53% of all reports), interacting with pets, livestock, and wild animals found within human settlements. The probability of carnivore reports increased with the number of previous observations and was influenced by prior successful food acquisition. The observed pattern highlights the importance of habituation and food conditioning for effective management of carnivores in human-dominated landscapes. Engaging local communities in monitoring carnivore presence can facilitate early conflict detection, providing a foundation for effective coexistence strategies.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 12d

new publication:
Prescribed burning for boreal forest restoration: Evaluating challenges and conservation outcomes

open access link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Prescribed burning for boreal forest restoration: Evaluating challenges and conservation outcomes - Ambio

Prescribed burning is applied as a restoration tool to promote biodiversity in boreal forests. Common objectives include promoting multilayered pine forests, increasing deadwood, and generating fire-scars. However, the extent to which these objectives are achieved and how they relate to weather conditions and stand characteristics remains poorly understood. We surveyed 32 prescribed burns in Sweden to evaluate the outcomes of key conservation objectives and their relationship to weather conditions and stand characteristics. In addition, we compared weather patterns and seasonal timing between prescribed burns and wildfires. We found that conservation objectives were met with large variations between sites but were generally better achieved under drier weather conditions and at sites with higher proportion of spruce. Wildfires occurred under significantly drier conditions and later in the summer than prescribed burns. We conclude that optimizing prescribed burning as a restoration tool requires better alignment between conservation objectives, stand characteristics, and weather conditions.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 12d

New publication:
Designing gender-inclusive data systems in small-scale fisheries

open access link:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Designing gender-inclusive data systems in small-scale fisheries - Ambio

Gender equality is a ubiquitous national goal, yet sectoral gender data gaps to support this goal persist. These gaps are both structural and sexist, concealing women’s contributions and impeding actions that would strengthen livelihoods and economic development, food security, and environmental sustainability. The small-scale fisheries sector offers a cogent example of this phenomenon. Building on lessons from the Illuminating Hidden Harvests initiative, we identify systemic changes and specific indicators needed to fill these gaps. This requires multiple data streams, many of which come from outside fisheries agencies, e.g., government statistical or census organizations, sourced from responsible agencies across multiple areas—economy and environment, governance and support services, and health and nutrition. Closing gender data gaps requires making the policy case and working across agencies to create an enabling institutional environment. Only then can data reflect and respond to the lives of the ~ 500 million people who depend on small-scale fisheries.

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 12d

New publication:
The best laid plans: How do adopted city sustainability goals influence site-level action in urban forestry?

open access link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

The best laid plans: How do adopted city sustainability goals influence site-level action in urban forestry? - Ambio

Cities increasingly hope to mobilize nature-based solutions in urban sustainability planning because of their wide-ranging ecosystem services. In this critical moment, where failure due to poor implementation could lead policymakers to turn away from nature-based solutions, we investigate the case of urban forestry and ask: how do strategic-level sustainability goals influences site-level decision-making? We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 urban foresters leading advanced programs at municipalities with adopted sustainability goals, framed as ecosystem services, across the US and Canada. Day-to-day, site-level decision-making focused on advancing a “more, bigger trees” paradigm with the justification that this would deliver increased ecosystem services in a general sense and thus contribute to city goals. Our analysis and results suggest that urban foresters are more guided by a shared sense of the greater purpose of their work to serve urban communities than city plans, which yields actions usually aligning but sometimes conflicting with specific strategic-level goals. Graphical abstract

link.springer.com

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Reposted by David N. Thomas

Ambio - A Journal of Environment and Society @ambio-journal.bsky.social · 12d

New publication:
Assessing the implications of organised illegal and informal mining activities on the environment in South Africa

Open access link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Assessing the implications of organised illegal and informal mining activities on the environment in South Africa - Ambio

Organised illegal and informal mining is growing globally, employing many unemployed youth, women, and children. In South Africa, rural communities see it as a means to reduce poverty and integrate into the economy. Despite numerous laws and regulations by the government and the Chamber of Mines to curb these practices due to their significant environmental implications and health risks the problems are escalating instead. Furthermore, while some levels of success have been achieved in addressing these menace, the efforts by the government through legislation have failed considerably in addressing the environmental challenges associated with these activities. This study uses qualitative methods comprising of interviews, field observations, and literature materials to explore the root causes of these activities and their threat to environmental sustainability. The findings reveal poverty and unemployment as primary drivers, while weak governance and law enforcement as underlying factors. The study calls for a shift from punitive policies to inclusive strategies that address social and economic needs, stressing on education, awareness, and public participation in environmental challenges associated with illegal mining.

link.springer.com

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David N. Thomas @dnthomas01.bsky.social · 12d

Today is the last day of the "Kilometrikisa 2025" in Finland 🇫🇮
where since 1 May 39,692 cyclists have logged all of their daily kms on the 🚲

So far >27 million kms recorded in the 5 months

Equivalent to 1.9 million L of gasoline or 4.8 million kg CO2 + huge health benefits

#cycling works

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